Thermal testing-tube.



Futon.

AEN

JAMES ll. HOLLINGSWORTH, OF NEVVBERN, TENNESSEE.

THERMAL TESTING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 646,217, dated March27, 1900.

Application filed August 24, 1899- Serial No. 728,313. (N0 model.)

To etZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JAMES L. HOLLINGS- WORTH, residing at Newborn, inthe county of Dyer and State of Tennessee, have invented a new andImproved Thermal Testing-Tube, of which the following is aspecification.

This invent-ion is in thenature of an improved means foraccuratelytaking the temperature of grain, cotton-seed, fruit, or otherarticles held in bulk in a storing-bin, eleva tor, car, or other holder,and it is particularly intended for use in connection with that class ofstoring bins, houses, or cars having ventilating means arranged tocontrol or disseminate heat or cold air through the entire bulk or suchparts of the said bulk as require treat ment to cure damp, rot, or otherconditions injurious to the article thus stored.

In storing houses or bins in which ventilatingdevices--suoh, forexample, as disclosedin my copending application, Serial No. 728,709,filed August 28, 1899are used it is necessary in the practicalemployment of the said ventilating means to ascertain at times thetemperature of the bulk atdifiterent depths, so that the ventilating ordrying process can be so control-led as to act upon such part or partsof the bulk in a manner that will add to the proper preservativecondition.

In the practical application of a grain-bin ventilator and drying meanssuch as disclosed in my copending application I have found the ordinarydevices for gaging the heat condition of the bulk at dilferent strataare not desirable, for the reason that in the insertion of the ordinarytesting-tubes or thermometer the thermic results are more or lessgoverned by the heat generated in the upper parts of the bulk throughwhich the testing device or thermometer is inserted rather than by thatparticular part, stratum, or layer it is desired to test.

My invention therefore seeks to provide a very simple and inexpensiveheat-testing device that can be conveniently employed for its desiredpurposes and which will effectively accomplish the desired results.

My invention comprehends an im perforated tube, of glass or otherdesired material, having at its lower end a perforated conical taperinginlet and its upper end made to receive the bulb of an ordinarythermometer, which has its supporting-body made fast to the tube, andsurrounding the said tube from the exposed or thermometer-bulb end toits perforated inlet is a non -heat-conducting covering, such asasbestos, which covering is also made tapering, whereby the body properof my improved device can be readily inserted into the bulk to be testedto the depth desired.

In its subordinate features my invention consists in certain details andcombination of parts, all of which will be first described, and thenpointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying draw ings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sect-ion taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2:

In the practical construction of my invention the same consists of animperforated tube 1, made of glassor other suitable material and of asuitable length. This tube 1 at the lower end has integrally formedtherewith a perforated inlet member 2, made conical or pointed, asshown, whereby the same will readily'penetrate into the grain or otherbulk to be tested. The upper end of the tube 1 terminates ina concavedseat 1 and has secured thereto the thermometer-frame 3, upon which ismounted a thermometer-glass 4, of any ordinary construction, the bulb 4of which is held in the seat 1 of the tube 1.

At a point near the bulb-holding end of the tube 1 said tube has 'a'lateral 5, having a detachable closure-cap 6, the purpose of saidlateral being to allow for the escape of air within the tube 1 undercertain conditions and also for the entrance of atmospheric air for apurpose presently explained.

8 8 indicate a series of incasing portions which are fitted about thestem 1 and extend from the bulb portion of the thermometer down to theperforated inlet 2. The sections 8 may be as many as desired,and' all ofthe said sections are formed of a non-heat-con ducting materialesuch asasbestos, for eX- ample-and the several sections 8 are joined and soformed as to provide 'a gradually-tapering solid body which entirelyincloses the internal tube 1.

While I have described and shown the in-* ner described it is obviousthat when inserted into a body of grain or other material stored in bulkthat generates a natural heat the heat volume surrounding the inlet endonly will pass up in the tube 1, and it will not be affected by thevarying temperature of the different layers of grain or other articleswhich come in contact with the non-heat-conducting closure members 8.

In using my device it is customary to remove the closure member 0 topermit the escape of such air as may accumulate within the tube as thesame is inserted through the several layers, thereby providing for theescape of the air that passes therein during the progress of insertingthe test tube to the depth desired, the lateral 5 also serving as ameans for admitting atmospheric air to keep the thermometer to acondition that of the normal atmospheric temperature may cause it tofluctuate. After having set the device to the depth desired it is onlynecessary to close the lateral 5, it being obvious that the hot airentering the inlet 2 will not be diminished or increased in density asit rises by reason of the closure members 8 keeping ofi any of the heatof the bulk above contacting with the tube 1. It will thus be seen thatI can take any temperature of the grain or otherbulk at any pointdesired, near the top, at the bottom, or at intermediate points, andsecure accurate register of the temperature of the different strata ofthe said bulk.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A device for the purposes described,comprising a tube having aperforated lower end, its upper end terminating in an outlet-seat; athermometer secured to the said upper end having its bulb fitting thesaid seat, and a casingof non-heat-conducting material inclosing thetube at points between its inlet and outlet ends, all being arrangedsubstantially as shown and described.

2. A new article for the purposes described, 5 comprising a tube havingan inlet at the lower end, an outlet at the upper end; a thermometermounted upon said upper end and having its bulb fitting the seat of theoutlet of the tube, said tube having a lateral at a point 5 nearitsoutlet end, said lateral having a closure member, all being arrangedsubstantially as shown and described.

3. A device for the purposes described,comprising a tube having atapering perforated 6 inlet at the lower end, its upper end being openand having a seat; a thermometer having its bulb adapted to fit the saidseat, said tube having a lateral communicating therewith at ornear itsoutlet end, said lateral hav- 6 ing a closure member, and a casingsurrounding the tube formed of non-heat-conducting material, said casingbeing made tapering from the upper end downward and merging With theconical end of the tube, all being ar- 7 ranged substantially as shownand for the purposes described.

JAMES L. HOLLINGSiVORTIL W'itnesses:

Mrs. J. L. HoLLINosWoR'rrI, FRED G. DIETERICH.

